Mahony faces pressure to not vote on pope

VATICAN CITY Popular pressure is mounting in the U.S. and Italy to keep Cardinal Roger Mahony away from the conclave to elect the next pope because of his role shielding sexually abusive priests, a movement against one of the most prominent of a handful of compromised cardinals scheduled to vote next month.

Amid the outcry, the retired Los Angeles archbishop has made clear he is coming, and no one can force him to recuse himself.

But the growing grass-roots campaign is an indication that Catholics are seeking a greater say in who is fit to elect their pope.

This week, the influential Italian magazine Famiglia Cristiana asked readers if Mahony should participate in the conclave. “Your opinion: Mahony in the conclave: Yes or No?” reads the online survey of one of Italy's most-read magazines.

The overwhelming majority among more than 350 replies has been a clear-cut “No.”

The magazine is distributed free in Italian parishes each Sunday. The fact that it initiated the poll is an indication that the Catholic establishment itself has doubts about whether tarnished cardinals should be allowed to vote – a remarkable turn of events for a Catholic country that has long kept quiet about priestly abuse.

That initiative followed a petition by a group in the United States, Catholics United, demanding that Mahony recuse himself. So far 5,600 people have signed the petition, according to spokesman Chris Pumpelly.

“If he's truly sorry for what has happened, he would show some humility and opt to stay home,” said Andrea León-Grossman, a Los Angeles member of Catholics United.

Mahony, however, has made clear he will vote. “Your prayers needed that we elect the best pope for today and tomorrow's church,” he tweeted earlier this week.

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